Collapsible shelter with a water filtration system

ABSTRACT

A collapsible shelter includes horizontal base rails on a floor supporting vertical wall panels, a wall bracket perpendicularly joining adjacent vertical wall panels, roof brackets connected to a top of the vertical wall panels, joining the vertical wall panels to a first roof panel and a second roof panel, roof ridge connectors joining the first roof panel to the second roof panel, at least one gutter trough nested within at least one of the roof brackets, and at least one water filtration system configured to attach to the at least one gutter trough.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisionalapplication No. 63/260,759, filed Aug. 31, 2021, the contents of whichare herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a collapsible shelter and, moreparticularly, to a collapsible shelter with a water filtration system.

Natural disasters can strike at any time leaving hundreds, if notthousands, of people without shelter. Currently, emergency tents areused to provide temporary housing for victims of natural disasters.However, tents are not durable, insulated, or secure from intruders.Larger, more durable shelters take days, sometimes even weeks toconstruct and require a team of experienced construction workers. Thecomplexity of creating such shelters along with the materials andmanpower needed contribute to higher costs. All the while, victims of anatural disaster are left without shelter.

In addition, when natural disaster strikes, it can spoil or cut offaccess to a clean, sanitary water supply. Access to a clean, sanitarywater supply is essential to prevent dehydration and other ailments.Often, large contributions and donations from a government, largecorporation, or various charities are needed to provide victims ofnatural disasters with enough clean water prevent dehydration and otherailments. Current temporary housing options do not provide access to aclean and sanitary water supply.

Alternatively, hunters, ice fishers, or other campers spending a nightin the outdoors often use tents for shelter. As discussed above, thetents lack durability, insulation, and security. Other temporaryshelters lack the ability to quickly assemble and transport and do notfit into a standard size truck bed and cannot assemble without the useof a crane or other equipment. As such, they often need power tools toassemble or disassemble.

As can be seen, there is a need for a durable shelter with a quick setup that also provides a water filtration system and that fits into astandard size truck bed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a collapsible shelter compriseshorizontal base rails on a floor supporting vertical wall panels, a wallbracket perpendicularly joining adjacent vertical wall panels, roofbrackets connected to a top of the vertical wall panels, joining thevertical wall panels to a first roof panel and a second roof panel, roofridge connectors joining the first roof panel to the second roof panel,at least one gutter trough nested within at least one of the roofbrackets, and at least one water filtration system configured to attachto the at least one gutter trough.

In another aspect of the present invention, a water filtration systemcomprises an adaptor joining a hose to a gutter trough and a filter,operative to filtering water, joining the hose to a valve, said valvebeing operative to controlling a flow of the water out of the waterfiltration system wherein the gutter trough is coupled to a roof bracketof a disassemblable and stackable collapsible shelter when said shelteris in an assembled state, wherein said disassemblable and stackablecollapsible shelter includes horizontal base rails positioned on afloor, vertical wall panels fastened to the horizontal base rails, wallbrackets perpendicularly joining the vertical wall panels, roof bracketsjoining the vertical wall panels to roof panels, and roof ridgeconnectors joining the roof panels.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible shelter according to anembodiment of the present invention, shown in an assembled condition;

FIG. 2 is a detail perspective view thereof, on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a detail cross-sectional view thereof, taken on line 3-3 ofFIG. 2 ;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view thereof, shown in a collapsed condition;

FIG. 5 is an exploded top perspective view thereof, showing a step ofassembly according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view thereof, taken on line 6-6 in FIG. 5 ;

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view thereof, showing another step ofassembly according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8A is an exploded cross-sectional view thereof, illustratinganother step of assembly according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view thereof, taken on line 8B-8B in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a top perspective view thereof, showing a step of assemblyaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is an exploded top perspective view thereof, showing a step ofassembly according to an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 11 is an exploded cross-sectional view thereof, taken on line 11-11in FIG. 10 , illustrating another step of assembly according to anembodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a collapsibleshelter with a water filtration system. The collapsible sheltercomprises base rails, wall panels, wall brackets, roof panels, roofbrackets, roof ridge connectors, and gutter troughs.

The base rails may be straight or may have an angle forming a corner,such as a ninety-degree angle corner. The base rails may be placed on asurface, such as a floor, in a shape of a square or rectangle.Advantageously, the base rails do not require any cutting or measuring.Horizontal base rails, when joined, may form a rectangle on a floor or asurface operative to supporting vertical wall panels. In someembodiments, four base rails support four wall panels.

The base rails comprise a slot or slots for the insertion of a wallpanel. The slots may be on a face of the base rail opposite of the faceplaced on the floor. The base rails may be connected by a placement of awall panel or wall panels. Anchors may be inserted through the baserails into the floor. The type of anchor is not particularly limited bythe present invention and may be any material suitable to secure theinvention to the floor such as a helical dirt anchor. A foundation maybe placed between the base rails and above the floor to level the flooror to sturdy the base rails. The material of the foundation is notparticularly limited by the present invention and may be a flat surfacesuch as cardboard or wood.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the wall panels may beabout 3″ thick. The wall panel may be made of incompressible foam with arecycled plastic skin on the outside but may alternatively be made ofany suitable material. The wall panels are inserted into the slots onthe base rails. The wall panels may be secured to a corresponding baserail with a fastening device, such as a bolt or bolts. The wall panelsmay include windows, frames for windows, and/or an entrance such as adoor.

Wall panels may be secured to each other via a wall bracket. The wallbrackets in some embodiments of the present invention have two slots ata ninety-degree angle relative to each other, operative to joining wallpanels together. Wall panels are inserted into slots of the wallbracket. A fastener, such as a bolt or bolts, secures the wall bracketto the wall panel. The wall brackets may perpendicularly join a side oran end of a wall panel to a side or an end of another wall panel.

In some embodiments of the present invention, roof panels are secured tothe wall panels by roof brackets. The roof brackets may join a top ofwall panels to a first roof panel and a second roof panel. The roofbrackets comprise a first slot for the insertion of the wall panel and asecond slot at an obtuse angle relative to the first slot for theinsertion of the roof panel. The roof bracket may further comprise athird slot operative to accommodate a gutter trough and an apertureoperative to accommodate an adaptor of a water filtration system. Theadaptor may be connected to the gutter trough through the aperture ofthe roof bracket. In some embodiments, the gutter trough and the roofbracket are unitary. The gutter trough and the roof bracket may bemolded together. In some embodiments of the present invention, thecollapsible house includes at least one gutter trough with at least onewater filtration system.

In some embodiments of the present invention, roof panels are about 2″thick and are made of incompressible foam with recycled plastic skin onthe outside but may alternatively be made of any suitable material. Theroof panels may be secured to the corresponding roof brackets with afastening device, such as bolt or bolts.

Solar panels may be secured to a roof panel.

In some embodiments of the present invention, roof ridge connectorssecure the roof panels together. The roof ridge connectors comprise aslot for the roof panel and a surface opposite of the slot. An end ofthe roof panel is inserted into the slot of the roof ridge connector.When the invention is assembled, the surfaces of the roof ridgeconnectors about each other. A fastener, such as a bolt or bolts,secures the surfaces of the roof ridge connectors together. In someembodiments of the invention, two roof panels form an entirety. In otherembodiments of the present invention, multiple roof panels may be used.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the gutter trough fitsinto the third slot of the roof bracket. In some embodiments, the guttertrough and the roof bracket are unitary. The gutter trough and the roofbracket may be molded together. The gutter trough may collect water andmay also function as a storage tank for collected water. The guttertrough may include a slot. The adaptor of the water filtration systemmay be attached to the slot through the aperture of the roof bracket.The slot of the gutter trough may be threaded. The adaptor of the waterfiltration system may be threadedly attached to the slot of the guttertrough.

In some embodiments of the present invention, a water filtration systemcomprises the adaptor, a hose, a water filter, and a valve. The adaptorconnects a first end of the hose to the slot of the gutter trough. Asecond end of the hose is attached to the filter. The filter isoperative to filtering collected water. A valve may attach to the waterfiltration system, such as next to the filter. The valve allows a userto access the filtered water.

In some embodiments of the invention, multiple units may be combined toform larger units.

In some embodiments of the invention, the shelter may collapse into aportable unit. Said portable unit may fit into a standard truck bed.Multiple portable units may be stacked for convenience oftransportation. The portable units may also be shipped in a shippingcontainer. In some embodiments, eight portable units will fit in theshipping container.

Referring now to the Figures, FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of afully assembled shelter 10 according to an embodiment of the invention.The view depicts wall panels 18 supported by base rails 12. Wall panels18 are perpendicularly secured together by wall brackets 40. One wallpanel 18 has a door 16, and one wall panel 18 has a window 18 a. Roofpanels 20 sit on top of the wall panels 18 and are joined to the wallpanels 18 by a roof bracket 50. A gutter trough 80 is connected to theroof bracket 50. A water filtration system 70 is connected to the guttertrough 80.

FIG. 2 is a detail perspective view of the water filtration system 70 ofFIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. An adaptor72 fastens a hose 74 to the gutter trough 80. The hose 74 is secured toa water filter 76 which is secured to a valve 78.

FIG. 3 shows a junction of the roof bracket 50 when the invention isfully assembled according to an embodiment of the present invention. Awall panel 18 fits into the roof bracket 50 and is secured by a bolt 26.The roof bracket has an aperture 25 for the insertion of the adaptor 72.A gutter trough 80 fits into the roof bracket 50. A roof panel 20 alsofits into the roof bracket 50.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a collapsed shelter 32 according toan embodiment of the present invention. The wall panels 18, roof panels20, base rails 12, gutter trough 80, a water filtration system 70, roofbrackets 50, and wall brackets 40 are folded into the collapsed shelter32. Collapsed shelters 32 may be stacked 30 on top of each other forshipping.

FIG. 5 shows the beginning stages of assembly according to an embodimentof the present invention. A foundation 11 is placed underneath baserails 12. A wall panel 18 is inserted into a base rail 12.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along 6-6 of FIG. 5 showing thewall panel 18 inserted into the base rail 12 according to an embodimentof the present invention.

A bolt 26 is used to secure the base rail 12 to the wall panel 18. Ananchor 28 goes through the base rail 12 and into a floor.

FIG. 7 shows a more advanced stage of assembly in comparison to FIG. 5according to an embodiment of the present invention. Wall panels 18 areconnected to base rails 12. One wall panel 18 has a window 18 a. Thewall panels are secured together by a wall bracket 40.

FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view showing an assembly step of a wallpanel 18 being inserted into the wall bracket 40 with one wall panel 18having already been inserted according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. A bolt 26 secures the wall panel 18 to the wall bracket 40.

FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 7 showingboth wall panels 18 fully inserted into the wall bracket 40. One wallpanel 18 is secured by a bolt 26.

FIG. 9 shows a more advanced stage of assembly in comparison to FIG. 7according to an embodiment of the present invention. Four wall panels 18have been assembled. One wall panel 18 includes a door 16. One wallpanel 18 includes a window 18 a.

FIG. 10 shows a roof panel 20 being installed on a top of the the wallpanels 18 according to an embodiment of the present invention. A roofbracket 50 connects a gutter trough 80 to the roof panel 20. The roofbracket 50 rests on top of the wall panel 18 as indicated in FIG. 11 . Aroof ridge connector 60 is affixed to the roof panel 20.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 10according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 shows astep of assembling the junction shown in FIG. 3 . The wall panel 18 isinserted into the roof bracket 50. A bolt 26 secures the wall panel 18to the roof bracket 50. The roof panel 20 is also inserted into the roofbracket 50. The gutter trough 80 is inserted into a slot in the roofbracket 50. An aperture 25 in the roof bracket 50 is configured toaccommodate the adaptor 72. An end of the roof panel 20 opposite theroof bracket 50 is installed in a roof ridge connector 60. A planarsurface 62 of the roof ridge connector 60 faces the planar surface 62 ofanother roof ridge connector 60 in which another roof panel 20 isinstalled. A bolt 26 fastens the planar surfaces 62 together. In someembodiments of the present invention, the bolt 26 joining the planarsurfaces 62 can be positioned beneath the roof panels 20.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A collapsible shelter comprising: horizontal baserails on a floor supporting vertical wall panels; a wall bracketperpendicularly joining adjacent vertical wall panels; roof bracketsconnected to a top of the vertical wall panels, joining the verticalwall panels to a first roof panel and a second roof panel; roof ridgeconnectors joining the first roof panel to the second roof panel; atleast one gutter trough nested within at least one of the roof brackets;and at least one water filtration system configured to attach to the atleast one gutter trough.
 2. The collapsible shelter of claim 1, whereinat least one of the wall panels has an entrance.
 3. The collapsibleshelter of claim 1, wherein at least one of the wall panels has awindow.
 4. The collapsible shelter of claim 1, wherein the shelter maybe collapsed into a stackable, portable unit.
 5. The collapsible shelterof claim 1, wherein the water filtration system further comprises anadaptor joining a hose to the at least one gutter trough, a filterfluidly communicating with the at least one gutter trough by way of thehose, and a valve operative to regulate water flow from the filter. 6.The collapsible shelter of claim 5, wherein said base rails, wallpanels, wall brackets, roof brackets, roof ridge connectors, guttertrough, and water filtration system are disassemblable and stackable. 7.A shelter kit comprising: four horizontal base rails forming a rectangleon a floor operative to supporting four vertical wall panels; wallbrackets operative to perpendicularly joining a side of a wall panel toa side of another wall panel; roof brackets operative to joining a topof the wall panels to a first roof panel and a second roof panel; roofridge connectors operative to joining the first roof panel to the secondroof panel; at least one gutter trough secured within the roof brackets;and a water filtration system containing an adaptor operative to joininga hose to the at least one gutter trough, a filter affixed to an end ofthe hose opposite the at least one gutter trough, and the filter affixedto a valve operative to regulating water flow from the filter; whereinsaid base rails, wall panels, wall brackets, roof brackets, roof panels,roof ridge connectors, gutter troughs, and the water filtration systemare disassemblable and stackable.
 8. A water filtration systemcomprising: an adaptor joining a hose to a gutter trough; and a filter,operative to filtering water, joining the hose to a valve, said valvebeing operative to controlling a flow of the water out of the waterfiltration system; wherein the gutter trough is coupled to a roofbracket of a disassemblable and stackable collapsible shelter when saidshelter is in an assembled state; wherein said disassemblable andstackable collapsible shelter includes horizontal base rails positionedon a floor, vertical wall panels fastened to the horizontal base rails,wall brackets perpendicularly joining the vertical wall panels, roofbrackets joining the vertical wall panels to roof panels, and roof ridgeconnectors joining the roof panels.